December 23, 2004

By Anthony Wade

When Jack Daniels, an evangelist from Heflin, La., came to Hepzibah Baptist Church, McCalla, to preach the first revival held there in five years, the harvest was ripe.

According to Hepzibah Pastor Tim Tindle, 73 people — most of them unchurched — accepted Christ during the five-day revival. “It’s been awesome,” he said.

Tindle noted that of the 73, all but 12 were unchurched.

Many in the harvest were listed on “10 Most Wanted” lists, which were lists that about 100 members of Hepzibah turned in, resulting in 1,000 people to pray for.

“We prayed for them and e-mailed the lists to other churches for them to be praying too, and we sent lists to inmates who are Christians for them to be praying,” Tindle said.

Hepzibah is in the Million Dollar Lakes area in the extreme northeastern corner of Tuscaloosa County and is in Pleasant Grove Baptist Association.

The church planned its revival for Nov. 28–Dec. 1, but it was extended through Dec. 2, due to what Tindle calls a phenomenal response.

“I’ve been preaching for 19 years and have been in church most of my life, but I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said.

Three days after the revival services ended guest speakers Gary and Elizabeth Wilkins, members of The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, who travel to foreign countries to minister through drilling water wells, spoke during a Sunday service.

Tindle said he simply stood up when they finished and read John 3:16 and 11 people came forward to accept Christ.

Tindle said of all those accepting Christ during the revival and following the service on Sunday, 37 were baptized at Hepzibah Dec. 5 and 34 Dec. 12.

Others are following up on their decisions at churches in areas where they live including several from Pelham, he noted. He said he tried to make sure the new converts had the names of several churches in areas where they live.

At Hepzibah, Tindle has begun a Bible study for new Christians on Sunday mornings at 10.

“My goal is to get them grounded in the Word and then into Sunday School classes in their age groups,” he said, noting that most of the 73 are adults.